The Beer Tourist

Last week I had a double dose Delirium.

Now, I have never been overenthusiastic about Delirium Tremens (or most of the other stuff coming out of the brewery Huyghe at Melle). The brewery has lent the name of its most famous beer (as well as financial support, I suppose) to the café with the greatest selection of beers in the world, confirmed in the book with obvious beer connections, The Guinness World of Records.

The location is in the heart of Brussels' Îlot Sacré district. To find it you first have to fight your way past the slick multi-lingual waiters in Rue des Bouchers, who offer some of the least favourable dining deals you can have in this great city. It actually takes a bit of effort to find the alley where Delirium Café and Jeanneke Pis (the "sister" of the more famous Manneken Pis) are located. The alley is called Impasse de Fidélité, and the café is located in no. 4A.

Delirium Café promises at least 2005 different beers. With its great opening hours, 10 am to 4 am every day of the year, it definitely represents a new and welcome trend on the Belgian café scene. Their web site, www.deliriumcafe.be, is also very informative.

I was very surprised to learn that a "sister" of Delirium Café just opened in Gothenburg. Of all places and just 4 hours bus ride from my home town Oslo. Their web site, www.deliriumcafe.se, does not yet give away much more than the address and opening hours. The latter are not as extensive as in Brussels; it does not open until 4 pm most days and slightly earlier on Fridays and Saturdays.

The selection is still 2005 beers with some interesting Swedish micros on tap. The café is bright and shining, a big contrast to the Brussels cellar. The beer selection from countries other than Belgium (and in this case Sweden) is still dominated by over-priced and unsexy macro beers, probably selected more for availability than quality. The Gothenburg establishment is an altogether more stylish version with friendlier service. There is food, too. As expected, the prices are sky-high above those in Brussels, but not over the top for a sin-taxed Norwegian.

Rumour says that there might soon be delirium in Stockholm also. I think we have found a cure for cold Scandinavian winters...